Jet propulsion apparatus for vessels



' PATENTED JAN. 26, 1904.

s. GEORGE. JET PROPULSION APPARATUS FOR 'VBSSELS.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 2, 189B. RENEWED 001230, 1903.

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lilll PATENTED JAN. 26', 1904.

S. GEORGE. JET PROPULSION APPARATUS FOR VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2. 1898. RENEWED 001'. so, 1903.

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No. 750,533. P TENTED- JAN.'26, 1904. s. GEORGE. JET PROPULSION APPARATUS FOR VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1898. RENEWED OCT. 30, 1903- no MODEL.

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APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1898. RENEWED OUT. 0. 90

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PATENTED JAN. 2 1904.

VS.GEORGE. JBTPROPULSION APPARATUS FOR VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1898.- RENEWED OUT. 30, 1903.

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No. 750,533. v PATENTED JAN. 26, 1904. s. GEORGE. JET PROPULSION APPARATUS FOR VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1898. RENEWED OUT. 30, 1903.

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PATBNTED JAN. 26, 1904.

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No. 750,533. PATENTED JAN. 26, 1904.

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JET PROPULSION APPARATUS FOR VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 189B. RENEWED 001230. 1903. no MODEL. 11 snEETssHEET a.

PATENTED JAN. 26, 1904.

SQGEORGB. JET PROPULSIONAPPARATUS FOR VBSSELS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 139B. RENEWED OUT. 30, 1903.

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PATENTED JAN.'26, 1904.

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JET PROPULSIUN APPARATUS-FOR VESSELS. ArrLIoA'rIoE FILED SEPT. 2, 189 8. RENEWED 001'. so, 1903. I no menu. I 11 sHEETs-snEET 11,

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, such as will enable others skilled in the art to Patented January 26, 1904:.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SEYMOUR GEORGE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR ,OF ONE- HALF TO CHARLES FRANCIS HARRIS, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

\JET PROPULSION APPARATUS FOR VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 750,533, dated January 26, 1904. Application filed September 2, 1898. Renewed October 30, 1903. Serial No. 179,238. (N0 m del.)

To a. whom it may concern.-

Allegheny county, State of Pennsylvania,have

invented certain new and useful Improvements in J et-Propulsion Apparatus for Vessels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in means for propelling vessels, and in particular to improvements in the propulsion of vessels by means of jets.

The fundamental principle of jet propulsion for vessels consists in forcing astream of water or other fluid outward from the vessel, which stream reacts upon the body of water in which i the vessel floats, and thereby tends to cause such vessel to move in a direction opposite to that in which the jet is projected.

Hitherto jet propulsion has been considered less eflicient than propulsion by the screw-propeller, owing to disadvantages inherent in the apparatus employed. In jet propulsion it is absolutely necessary for practical purposes-that the jet be of considerable size and velocity. This,therefore, necessitates the employment of apparatus of great power in order to project a sufficient body of water to propel the vessel at a suitable speed. Such apparatus comprises pumps for pumping the water, engines for driving the pumps, and means for delivering the water in a stream or jet outside the vessel. If reciprocating engines and pumps are employed for such a purpose, it is found that the change in direction of stroke ofthe reciprocating parts givesrise to such serious vibrations that it is practically impossible to run such apparatus at a quick speed, and since speed is one of the functions of the power a limitation inspeed requires an increase in the capacity of the pump-cylinders and enginecylinders and a consequent increase in bulk of the whole apparatus until the point is finally reached when it is found that the weight and bulk of such reciprocating engines and pumps for the practical jet propulsion of a vessel are so excessive in comparison with the tonnage of the vessel as to prohibit their successful use. While these defects are somewhat avoided by the use of reciprocating engines and rotary pumps, still the disadvantages due to the employment of such engines are great enough to render the whole apparatus a failure, especially because the ordinary rotary pumps are wasteful unless run at high speeds such as cannot well be furnished by such heavy engines.

For the above reasons ithas been recognized that theoretically a rotary motor should be preferable to a reciprocating engine for the purpose of driving the rotary pumps; but in practice it has been found that the rotary motors hitherto employed have been open to 5 many disadvantages, which render it practically impossible to run them at high speed, some of these disadvantages being even more serious than those of the reciprocating engines. For instance, in those rotary motors 7 hitherto constructed the wear on the rotating piston parts has been excessive, and particularly at high speeds, such wear reaching an undesirable stage after a very short operation of the motor. Such rapid wear of the piston parts renders the motor wasteful of steam, and therefore expensive in comparison with reciprocating engines. The efforts of inventors in the improvement of such rotary m0- tors hitherto seems to have been directed principally toward providing means for taking up such wear on the piston parts, whereby the motor may be run for a longer time without renewing the piston parts. These efforts have not been entirely successful and, 5 indeed, may be said to have been practically unsuccessful so far as large quick-running motors are concerned. On the other hand, my invention may be said to be distinguished from such previous efforts in that it tends 9 more particularly toward the prevention of such wear rather than toward compensating for the wear after it has occurred. Of course some wear will take place in the piston parts even under my invention; but this is so slight that a very simple means will allow me to compensate for the same, which means will require attention only at long intervals.

In addition to the disadvantages inherent in previous motors, as above pointed out, 1 I

have discovered that some of the serious disadvantages which have caused the failure of jet-propulsion apparatus have been due to the manner of coupling the rotary motors and rotary pumps-that is to say, the most eflicient rotary pumps are those having two coordinate rotary pistons intermeshing with each other, these pistons each being mounted ona shaft, which shafts are geared together. If now a rotary motor or motors be employed 150 rotate a single shaft and this shaft be connected to one of the shafts of the rotary pump, as has beenpreviously done, the second piston and shaft of the pump are rotated through the gearing which transfers the power from one shaft of the pump to the other. In this arrangement great lateral pressure is brought to bear upon the single shaft of the motor and upon both shafts of the pump, thus soon Wearing their bearings, so that they finally spread apart, and this action, even though but very slight, throws a lateral strain on the motor and pump pistons, thus causing them to Wear unduly and to generate an excessive amount of friction. For these reasons also it has been found impossible in practice to operate powerful rotary pumps and motors at a sufliciently high speed to make jet propulsion a success.

Another equally important defect ofpre- Viously-constructed jet-propulsion apparatus has been in what I may term the jet apparatus proper that is to say, the inlet and discharge pipes by which the water is supplied to the pumps and then forced outward into the body of water in which the vessel floats. In such previous constructions all the jet apparatus proper was below the normal waterline of the vessel, and as a consequence variations in the amount of water outside the vessel above or below such a normal water-line,

such as would be caused by heavy seas in stormy weather, would cause avariation in the load on the pumps and motors from a maximum to a minimum, the minimum load causing a sudden racing of the motors and pumps, while the maximum load' would tend to bring the machinery to a dead stop. Since these variations would take place in stormy weather with rapid alternations, it was impossible to satisfactorily govern the motors at ordinary speeds, and hence the use of the motors at high speeds was entirely out of the question, and, as a final result, unless the motors could be run at high speed they were sowasteful of steam as to be more disadvantageous than ordinary reciprocating engines. Furthermore, a high-speed rotary engine or motor if suddenly relieved of its load was exposed to greater danger of breakage than a reciprocating engine, since the increase of the centrifugal force in its heavy rotating pistons would tend to burst them or at any rate cause a swelling due to the elasticity of the material, which would cause the pistons to grind against the insides of the cylinders, thereby causing a wear which upon the reduction of the speed to the normal rate of the motor would result in a leakage of steam around the worn edges of the piston, it being impossible to stop the machinery at frequent intervals and take up such wear in view of the danger to the vessel in stormy weather.

It is the object of my invention to overcome all these disadvantages, as above pointed out.

With this object in view and some others, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the description hereinafter, an apparatus embodying my invention, broadly considered, consists in a specially-constructed motor so coupled to a particularly-selected and somewhat-modified form of rotary pump that the disadvantages hitherto due to the joint operation of rotary pumps and motors will be avoided, the whole being combined with a new form of jet apparatus, whereby the latter maintains a uniform load on the pump, which therefore enables the motor to be run at a maximum high speed with the assurance that diminutions in the pressure of water outside the vessel will not cause the racing of the motor at a speed above its maximum.

My invention consists, further, in certain specified features of construction, details, and combinations of parts, which will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings and then particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of the invention in its entirety; Fig. 2, a substantially central vertical longitudinal section through the siphon, the discharge-valves and pipes, and -the junction-pipe and valve, the siphon being rotated ninety degrees to bring it into the vertical plane of the other parts; Fig. 3, a similar view with the parts in their reversed position, the siphon being removed; Fig. 4, a vertical cross-section on the line 4 4c of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a vertical cross-section onv the line 5 5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6, an enlarged detail view, partly in plan and partly in section, of the reversing-valve with its shaft and gear; Fig. 7, a vertical cross-section through the hull of a vessel and through a pair of discharge-valves; Fig. 8, a bottom plan -of the parts seen in Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 9, a vertical cross-section through one of the rotary steammotors on the line 9 9, Fig. 11; Fig. 10, a similar View on the line 10 10, Fig. 11; Fig. 11, a view in plan view, showing four-rotary pistonmotors compounded; Fig. 11, an enlarged sectional detail of oneof theadjustable pistonheads of the motor seen inFig's. 9' and 10; Fig. 11*, avertical section on the linell 11 of Fig. 11; Fig. 12, a vertical' cro'ss'section through the hull of a vessel and-taken centrally through the feed pipes, their "valves, the reversingvalve, siphon, and air-valveg'the siphon being rotated ninety degrees-to bring itinto the same vertical plane with the other parts Fig; 13, a cross-section of one of the pumps; Fig.

14:, a view similar to Fig. 11, but showing a difl'erent arrangement of the motors whereby the power is all upon one shaft; Fig.15, avertical cross-section on the line 15 15 of Fig. 14; Fig. 16, a plan View showing the manner of compounding the pumps; Fig. 17, a detail of the adjustable gear; Fig. 18, a. section on the line 18 18 of Fig. 17; Fig. 18*, a detail view of one of the locking-plugs; Fig. 19, a detail plan view, partly in section, showingthe rollerboxing and the stuffing-boxes; Fig; 20, an en larged end elevation of the gears of the shafts of the boxing; Fig. 21, an end elevation of portions of the stuffing-box; Fig. 22, an enlarged sectional view of the boxing; Fig. 23, an end view thereof with parts in section; Fig. 24:, an enlarged central longitudinal section showing the construction of the stuffingbox; Fig. 25, an elevation showing the gearing for operating simultaneously the screws for adjusting the roller-bearing; Fig. 26, a top ,plan view of the motor-base; Fig. 27 an ele vation of the same; Fig. 28, a detail in eleva 'tion of the male portion of the coupling; Fig. .29, an end view thereof; Fig. 30, a similar view of the female portion; Fig. 31, a central .section, and Fig. 32 an elevation of the steam throttle-valve employed by me.

For convenience I will describe my invention under the following heads:

A. The jet device, which comprises the following: first, the feed mechanism for supplying the pumps with water and suitably controlling such supply; second, the discharge mechanism for transmitting the water from the pumps and discharging it outside the vessel, including also the means for controlling this discharge.

B. The motors,which will be considered under the following further subdivisions: first,

the motor proper, embracing the piston parts and cylinders and general manner of compounding the same; second, the adjustable gear for taking up the wear in the gearing, and thereby keeping the piston parts in proper relation to each other; third, the roller-boxings for keeping the piston parts in proper relation to each other and to their cylinders; fourtlnthe adjustable stuffing-box, which when used with the particular description of rollerboxing set out by me will prevent leakage of steam around the shafts; fifth, the self-adjust ing motor-base, whereby the motors may be held down securely, yet will be free from strains due to expansion and contraction.

C. 'The rotary pumps.

D. The general combination of all the mechanism to produce the desired result.

A. The Jet Device.

' This, as has been previously pointed out, comprises, first, the feed mechanism, and, second, the discharge mechanism, which will now be described specifically.

1. The feed mac/tandem.This is shown in detail in Fig. 12 and embraces the pipes 1 and 1", which are designed to be disposed as shown in said figure, extending in inclined directions and united as shown, so as to form a junction in one pipe which is enlarged, as shown at 2, and within which is the valve 3, so constructed as to reverse the course of the stream, so that the water as it is taken from the exterior of .the vessel may pass directly to the pumps, or

by reversing the valve the inlet from the exterior is shut off and communlcation established between the pumps and the interior of the vessel. The pipes 1 and 1 terminate at their lower ends in the enlargements 1", which are attached to the bottom or bilge of the vessel inside the hull and are provided with the openings 1 through the bottom, whereby water may be admitted from the outside' In each of these enlargements is a valve 4, having therethrough the passage 1, the valves being designedto be turned, as seen in Fig. 12, so that the water may enter the openings 1 and passthrough the passages 4 into the pipes 1 and 1 and through the passage 3 of the valve 3 into the pipe 5, and from thence into a siphon 6, which extends some distance above the normal water-line of the vessel. 7 is a by-passage communicating with the siphon and with the enlargement of the pipe at 2. This lay-passage 7 is closed when the valve 3 is turned, so that its passage 3 is in communication with the pipes 1 and 1. When, however, the valve 3 is turned so as to close the passage from the pipes 1 and 1, the passage 3 of said valve is brought into such position as to open communication between the pipe 7 and the pipe 8, which extends from the opposite side of the enlargement 2, its lower end terminating in close proximity to the bottom of the hull of the vessel, as clearly seen in Fig. 12, so that in case of leakage beyondthe power of the vessels pumps to control the pumps may be supplied with the water from the interior of the vessel, while admission of water from the outside through the openings 1 is prevented, and thus the water may be pumped out and this without stopping the propulsion of the vessel. In Fig. 12 these feed-pipes are shown in the position they assume with relation to the hull X of the vessel, and in Fig. 1 they are shown in their relation to the other parts of the apparatus. In the latter figure I have illustrated two sets of these feed-pipes, (one set fore and the other aft;) but it is evident that in some cases one of these sets may be omitted as, for instance, in smaller vessels, where the requisite supply is not so great. These feed-pipes are so constructed that, as above stated, their siphons extend above the water-line, and at the top of each siphon is an outlet 7, as seen clearly in Fig. 1-2, which opening hommunicates with the enlargement 7", in which is arranged an airvalve 9, having a passage 9, which valve may be moved so as to bring the passage 9 in communication with the opening 7 and the airpipe 9", whereupon the water will at once fall down to the water-line if the pumps are not then in operation. Ordinarily this valve will be closed, as indicated in Fig. 12.

Q. The discharge mechanism.This is shown in detail in Figs. 2 to 8, inclusive, while in Fig. 1' it is represented in the position occupied with relation to the other parts of the apparatus.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, l0 and 10 represent pipes which are inclined, as shown, and which instead of uniting to form a common discharge into the valve or valve-chamber are arranged so that but one can communicate fully with the valve at the same time. This valve 11 has the passage 11 therethrough and is mounted for movement Within the enlargement of pipe 11 From the upper extremity of this enlargement 11 extend the pipes 12 and 12, which unite at their upper end and communicate with a siphon 13, which extends some distance above the normal water-line. At substantially the highest point of the siphon is located an air-chamber 1 1, having its interior connected to the interior of the siphon through a small opening 14 The purpose of this air-chamber is to cushion the water in the siphon, so that when the vessel is in a high sea the variation in pressure from a maximum to a minimum, due to the crests and hollows of waves over the discharge-openings, will not be transmitted at once to the pump, but will be cushioned at the top of the siphon, thus relieving the pumps from the sudden shock or jar. This cushioning effect is particularly important in connection with a rotary pump of the construction shown by me and described hereinafter, since such a pump has no valves to receive the strain, and as the water is driven out by the approach of two piston -wings toward each other a sudden increase in pressure of the exterior water on the discharge-openings would act on the principle of the hydraulic press, and thus throw an enormous pressure on the piston-wings very suddenly and would tend to break them instead of merely slowing the speed of the rotary pistons, as will be the case in my construction. At the upper portion or bend of the siphon in close proximity to the air chamber there is an outlet 13, which communicates with the pipe or enlargement 13 ,.in which is located the valve 1 1, having the passage 14 therethrough and which when the valve is properly turned affords a communication between the siphon (through the passage 13) and the air-pipe 1 1". This device forms an air-valve which serves to admit air to the siphon in order to supply the airchamber with air if for any reason it should be filled with water and also to break the siphon action when the pumps have stopped working. The lower end of this siphon is designed to be connected with the pumps. The

pipes 10 and 10 are connected to the couplings or pipes or elbows 15, which extend from the casings or cylinders 16, one pipe connecting with one cylinder and the other with another. Vithin each of these cylinders is mounted for rotation a Valve 17, having extending diagonally therethrough a passage 17, which when the valve is turned in one position affords communication between one of the pipes 10 or 10 and the outlet-opening 17 in the bottom of the vessel, as indicated at the left of Fig. 3; but when the Valve is turned in the opposite direction the outlet from the pipe 10 is closed, as is also the opening 17", as indicated at the right of said Fig. 3. In Fig. 2 the parts are shown reversed, the valve 11 also being reversed, as will be readily understood. One set of these discharge-pipes is arranged upon each side of the keelson inside the hull and attached by means of the valve-casings to the bottom of the vessel, the latter in this instance being shown with the inwardly-extending portions terminating in flanges 17, to which the flanges of the upper half of the cylinder-casings are bolted, the casings thus being made in halves for convenience of manufacture and in assembling the parts. The position of these discharge-pipes with relation to the inlet-pipes and the other elements comprising my propelling mechanism is clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. The valves 17 are each carried by a shaft or stem 18, as seen clearly in Figs. 2 and'8, these shafts or stems passing into the cylindrical portions 18, as seen in Figs. 2, 3, and 7, within which they are secured, and extending through stuffing-boxes 18 beyond which they are mounted in suitable bearings or boxes 19, as shown. These valves, as Well as the valves 11 and 1 1, are designed to be operated in any suitable manner. The shafts 18 are shown as provided with gears 19 for this purpose, while the shafts 11 of the valves 11 are provided with gears 11, said shafts being mounted in suitable boxes or bearings 11 as shown most clearly in Fig. 6. The valves 4 are carried by shafts 1" and provided with gears 1 for a similar purpose. The valves 3 are carried by shafts 3" and provided with gears 8, whereby they may also be actuated w hen desired. As the mechanism for operating these valves forms no part of the present invention, an illustration thereof has not been given and seems to be unnecessary. In Fig. 8 I have shown how the valves 11 may be actuated by means of a lever 11, attached to the shaft thereof.

B. The ivotor.

This is considered under the following heads: first, the motor proper; second, the adjustable gear; third, the roller-boxings; fourth, the adjustable stuffing-box; fifth, the self-adjusting motor-base.

1. The motor proper. Each motor comprises a casing 20, Fig. 9, having two cylindrical overlapping compartmentsone forming the ordinary steam-cylinder 23, while the other, 24, contains the rotary abutment 25, which is rotatable in its compartment upon a shaft 25 and fits steam-tight therein, being provided with two recesses on opposite sides of the abutment to receive the wings or vanes 27 of a rotary piston rotatably' mounted in the steam-cylinder 23 and provided with a hub 27, mounted on a shaft 27" The motorcasing is formed in two parts for convenience of manufacture and assemblage, the heads or ends being designed to be detachably secured in place in any suitable manner, as by bolts. Steam is admitted at the bottom of the casingas, for instance, through a pipe 21, entering the steam-cylinder, (through a pipe 28,) substantially in a line'withthe plane of junction of the two compartments 23 and 24. The steam expands against the rotary abutment 25 and against that piston vane or wing which is at that time uncovered by the abutment. By this expansion of the steam the piston is rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 9, until the vane passes the opening of the exhaust-pipe, (indicated at 22%) after which it exhausts, the pipe 22 being substantially opposite the steam-inlet. With the two vanes or wings on the piston a continuous rotation takes place, and of course the steam exhausts twice at each revolution of the piston.

As shown in the drawings, the rotary abutment 25 serves to protect one piston-wing at a time from the force of the steam, the pistonwings being received steam-tight in their respective recesses or vane-seats in the rotary abutment. The abutment-chamber, as shown, is of less diameter than the power cylinder. The hub 27 of the piston and the rotary abutment 25 have their ends formed at right angles to their respective shafts, so that said ends may fit closely to the-cylinder-heads and be made steam-tight.

It is to be understood that the inner diameter of the power-cylinder 23 is equal to the diametrical distance apart of the ends of the piston wings or vanes, which are intended to run in close contact with the interior of the power-cylinder, so as to prevent the escape of steam around the said vanes.

The outer ends of. the wings 27 are formed.

' of parts separate from the piston, each part being provided with a rounded acting or outer face, as shown, and with projections or pins 43 which work in sockets or holes in the pistons. The said outer ends of the wings are, furthermore, provided with grooves 45, into which project flanges or lips 46, formed on the piston, as seen in Figs. 11, 11, whereby the said outer ends may have a limited amount of movement outward without permitting the escape of steam. At the lines of junction of the piston ends and the piston 47 are wedges adapted to be driven in from opposite ends of the piston, as seen best in Fig. 11, between the outer face of the piston-body and the inner face of the outer ends of the piston-vanes, the said inner faces of the latter at these points being slightly tapered or inclined, as shown best in Fig.11. It is of course necessary that these pins or wedges be driven in flush with or below the outer face of the piston, and to provide for their removal when desired I form the adjacent portions of the piston-body and vane ends with the depressions 48, as shown clearly in Figs. 11 and 11". 49 represents wedges or looking keys. They are inserted in openings in the outer faces of the piston, the outer ends of these openings 49 being enlarged or countersunk, as shown in Figs. 11 and 11, for the same purpose as the depressions 48, just described. These locking devices49 are designed to enter openings 50 in the projections or pins 43 of the pistonhead, as seen best in Fig. 11.

To adjust the piston-head outward, the keys 49 are withdrawn and the wedges 47 driven in the required distance. Then the keys 49 are again inserted, and as they are driven in they engage the lower wall of the openings 50 in the projections 43, Fig. 11, drawing downward or inward on the same, thus locking the piston-head in its adjusted position. Normally the wedges 47 are not forced in to their full extent; but sufficient space is left, as seen in Fig. 11", so that the wedges may be driven in as the piston-head requires adjusting.

The shafts 25* and 27, respectively, are suitably supported in roller-boxings and provided with adjustable stuifing-boxes and adjustable gears, as will be hereinafter more particularly referred to. i

As seen in Figs.- 9, 10, 11, 14, and 15, th casing or cylinder of the steam-motor is provided with a steam-jacket 28; into which live steam is admitted from a boiler 29 through pipes 30, which lead from said boiler and communicate with the jackets. In each of these pipes is a check-valve 30* of well-known construction. 31 represents similar pipes connecting the steam-jacket with the boiler and provided with check-valves 31, all as best seen in Fig. 14. The live steam is admitted from the boiler through one of the pipes 30, as indicated by the arrow, and through the check-valve, and after entering the jacket it returns to the boiler through the pipe '31 and its check-valve, as indicated by the arrow, whereby upon any cooling or condensing of the steam in the jackets such steam would be immediately driven by the hotter steam from the boiler back into said boiler, in which manher the steam in the motor is maintained at boiler heat.

In use Ipropose to compound these motors. As a step in the explanation of my invention I have shown in Fig. 14 four of these motors disposed with their pistons upon one shaft 34, so that the power will be upon one shaft only, motion being transmitted to the other shaft carrying the rotary abutments by means of the intermeshing gears 32 and 33, as clearly seen in Fig. 14, and in order to compensate for any wear that may take place upon these gears which would destroy the proper relative positions of the abutments and pistons they are of novel construction, as will be hereinafter more particularly explained.

In Fig. 11 I have shown my proposed method of compounding these rotary steam-motors for use in jet propulsion. In this view the motors are shown as disposed alternately throughout the compound, the first motor having the piston on one shaft and the second motor with its piston on the opposite shaft, and so on throughout the compound. By this arrangement the power of the steam is equal on the two shafts, and still I retain the benefit of but two exhausts only in one motor to each revolution of the shaft or two revolutions of one shaft to two exhausts in the compound motors. In this arrangement the pipes 30 and 31 are disposed upon alternately opposite sides; but this of course is not absolutely necessary. The gear 32 and 33 employed in this arrangement of compound motors is the same as employed in the other form, a description of which will be given hereinafter.

In compounding the motors in my preferred form I construct the casings of the individual motors so as to have spaces or chambers on the same side of the casing as are the rotary abutments, these spaces being indicated at 28 28 in Figs. 9, 10, and 11. Fig. 9 represents a section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 11, the piston, however, being shown in elevation. This view therefore shows the first individual motor of the compound or set. The steam enters through the pipe 21, passing into the lower space 28*, from whence it is conducted by a short pipe 28 to the lower part of the steam-cylinder, expanding against the rotary abutment and rotating the piston in the direction of the arrow. Then it exhausts through the pipe 22*, which is bent downward, and to the right to deliver the steam into the upper space 28 of the second individual motor of the compound. In this second motor the upper and lower spaces 28 28 communicate through the openings 28. This is best shown in Fig. 10, which is a view similar to Fig. 9, but taken on the line 10 10 of Fig. 11. The steam passes through the said opening 28 into the lower space 28 and thence across the steam-jacket 28 through the short pipe 28 into the steam-cylinder of said second motor, rotating the piston in the direction of the arrow, and exhausting through the pipe 22 which bends downward and to the left and delivers the steam into the upper space 28 of the third individual motor. In this motor the upper and lower spaces 28 28 are also in communication with each other through openings 28 whereby the steam may pass from the upper space into the lower space, from whence it passes through the corresponding short pipe tsetse 28 into the steam-cylinder of said third motor, rotating the piston and escaping through the exhaust-pipe 22, which bends downward and to the right and delivers the steam into the upper space 28 of the fourth motor. Here the steam travels from the upper space 28 to the lower space 28 and then passes into the steam-cylinder of said fourth motor, finally escaping through the terminal exhaust-pipe 22 to the air or to a condenser. (Not shown.) It will be understood from this that only the first motor is supplied with steam directly from the boiler through pipe 21 while only the last motor has an exhaust-pipe 22 which allows the steam to pass to the atmosphere or to the condenser.

In arranging my motor for jet propulsion I employ two sets-one in each side of the longitudinal central line of the vesseland supply these two sets with steam from a common supply-pipe 21 leading from the boiler, as indicated in Fig. 1, the steam being taken from this common supply-pipe by branch pipes 21, as shown, a junction steam-valve 21 being located at the common meeting-place of these pipes. The specific construction of the junction steam-valve is obvious from Figs. 31 and 32. By means of this j unction-valve the steam may be gradually cut off from one motor and turned on fully to the other motor, or it may beturned on partly to both motors or shut off entirely from both. This construction gives full control of the starting and stopping of the motors and also renders it possible, by a partial turning off of the steam from one motor while allowing a nearly full head of steam to act on the other motor, to cause one motor to run slower and the other to run faster than the normal speed, thus causing less water to be forced out of one discharge-opening than out of the other, whereby the vessel will tend to move in the arc of a circle whose radius depends entirely upon the relative difference in speed of the two motors. By this means the vessel may readily be steered independent of any rudder mechanism and without checking the speed.

2. The adjustable gear.Figs. 17 and 18 clearly illustrate this feature of the invention, and to these views particular attention is now directed and from which it will be seen that the gear-wheel is composed of two parts or two gears arranged side by side upon the same shaft, the one wheel or section, 35, being keyed or otherwise made fast to the shaft, while the other section or wheel, 36, is loosely sleeved upon the same shaft, the key being shown at 37 in Figs. 14 and 18. The two sections when placed together constitute one wheel. The loose wheel or section 36 is designed to be adjusted or moved to take up lost motion or wear by means of an eccentric lock, which is constructed as follows: Each section is formed with a plurality of circular openings extending through the sections parallel to the central bore or passage for the shaft, the openings of one section being arranged to be brought in register with the corresponding openings in the other section. In each opening in each section are inserted two semicylindrical parts, which together form a cylindrical plug 38, fitting snugly into its respective opening, the cylindrical plugs of one section being arranged to come opposite the corresponding cylindrical plugs of the other section of the gearing. Two plugs thus located opposite each other I will designate as a pair of plugs. Through each pair of plugs passes a pin-hole, which is arranged eccentric to the geometrical axis of the plugs,

, the pin-holes each being conical, as shown in my improvements in connection with the ro- Fig. 18, in order to receive a tapered or conical pin 39, which may be driven tightly into the hole and is secured against withdrawal by a cotter or wedge 39, passing transversely through its respective pin. As the pins 39 are driven into the holes in the pair of plugs they tend to force the two halves of each plug apart, thereby causing them to bind tightly in their openings in the respective sections of the gearing. When it is desired to adjust the movable or loose section to compensate for wear, the cotters or wedges 39 are removed and the pins 39 loosened, whereupon the loose section may be turned in the proper direction. then rotated in their respective openings in the sections to bring their eccentrically-located pin-holes in register again, whereupon the pins are inserted into said pin-holes and driven up tightly to lock the sections in the adjusted position, the cotters or keys 39 being then driven in place to hold the pins 39 against withdrawal. This adjustment may be made at intervals whenever the gearing becomes worn, the efiect of moving one section of the gearing with respect to the other being to take up the lost motion between one compound gear-wheel and the other. It will readily be observed that by this form of de- Vice the gear can be kept perfectly adjusted and the piston-wings kept in perfect alinement relative to the wing-seats in the rotary abutments, so that all possibility of wear and consequent leakage caused by them getting out of line relative to each other is avoided.

WVhen placing two'gear-wheels of the above construction on their shafts, they are so arranged that the sections keyed to the shafts mesh with the respective adjustable sections of the opposite gear.

3. The o'0ZZer-50mlng s.-As I pointed out in the introductory portion of this specification,

tary motor relate more particularly to means for preventing wear of the piston parts rather than to means for compensating for such wear after it has occurred. WVhatIcons'ideraprincipal part of the means for preventing such wear in the piston parts is the manner of The plugs of each pair are mounting the shafts which carry the piston and the rotary abutment, whereby the said shafts may be kept in alinement, so that the axis of revolution of the rotary parts may be maintained coincident with the geometrical axes of the cylinder and abutment-compartment. By this arrangement the piston and rotary abutment when properly fitted to their respective chambers may be maintained in proper relation to the same and not allowed to scrape or drag on the interior walls of such chambers by the displacement of the shafts. These advantages are obtained principally by means of the roller-boxings, which will now be described specifically in connection with Figs. 19, 20, 22, 23, and 25. In addition to the above advantages by means of the specific roller-boxings employed by me I am enabled to run the motor at a high rate of speed without undue heating of the bearings, as will be explained hereinafter.

Referring to Figs. 19, 20, 22, 23, and 25, 52 is the boxing or housing, in the side walls of which are the passages for the main shaft and between which side walls are arranged the rollers and the tail-block. 53 is the first roller-shaft. It is loosely supported in the side walls of the boxing, as seen best in Figs. 19 and 22, in horizontal line with the shaft 25, while 54 represents the first vertical rollershaft, likewise supported in the side walls of the boxing in vertical line with the main shaft, as seen in Fig. 22.. On the shaft 53 are the rollers 53 more or less in number, as may be found most expedient. These rollers revolve in contact with the main shaft, as indicated in Figs. 22 and 23, while upon the shaft 54: are the rollers 54, which also revolve in contact with the said main shaft, as seen clearly in Fig. 22. 55 is the second roller shaft, mounted in horizontal line with the shafts 25 and 53, as seen clearly in Fig. 22, and upon this shaft are the rollers 55, the said rollers being so proportioned with relation to the size of the shafts that the rollers 53 revolve in contact with the shaft 25, and the rollers 55 revolve in contact with the'shaft 53, the rollers on the two shafts being so disposed that the rollers on the one shaft will be located between the rollers on the other shaft. 56 is the second shaft in vertical alineinent with the main shaft, and upon this shaft are the rollers 56, the disposition of the rollers on the vertically-alined shafts being the same as that of those on the horizontally-alined shafts, so that the rollers on the first shaft revolve in con- .tact with the main shaft, and the rollers on the second shaft revolve in contact with the shaft of the first rollers, all as clearly shown. It is to be understood that none of the rollers of the first roller-shafts 53 and 54 are to contact with their respective second roller-shafts 55 and 56. The latter shafts are therefore slightly reduced in diameter opposite the rollers of the respective first roller-shafts, as

IIO

shown in Fig. 19. The shafts of these rollers are geared together and to the main shaft, so

that the said rollers will be positively revolved under all circumstances in harmony with the main shaft. In Fig. 19 I have shown these shafts as so geared. 57 designates the gear of the main shaft, which meshes with a gear 58 on the shaft 53, and on. this latter shaft is another gear, 59, which meshes with the gear 60 on the shaft 55, the gear 57 also being designed to impart motion to the two vertically-alined shafts 54 and 56 in like manner. This is shown also in Fig. 20.

The means for taking up the lost motion in the second roller-shaft will now be described. As the means employed for the horizontallyalined shafts and for the vertically-alined shafts is the same, a description of the one is believed to be suflicient for a full and clear understanding of them all. Referring then to Figs. 19 and 22, 61 designates the end plate or cap to the boxing, and 62 the tail-block. In the present instance I have shown eight screws as being employed in this connection; but it is evident that this number may be varied, made more or less, as maybe found most expedient, without materially affecting the result, and I therefore do not wish to be restricted to the number of screws employed. These screws are in sets of four each, one set being so arranged as to have their nuts in the tail-block and the other four having their nuts in the cap to the boxing. The gearing is so arranged that four of these screws are made to turn simultaneously in one direction and the other four at the same time move simultaneously in the opposite direction. The four screws 68 are pivoted or swiveled in the tail-block 62, while their inner ends are threaded into the cap 61, as seen best in Figs. 19 and 22, and bear against the walls of the housing, while the other screws, 64, are swiveled or pivoted in the cap 61 and have their outer ends threaded into the tail-block. On the outer end of each screw is a gear 65, Fig. 25, the three gears at the top meshing with each other and the three gears at the bottom meshing with each other. The intermediate gears on the horizontal shafts in horizontal line with the central gear do not mesh with each other nor with the top and bottom, gears, but instead mesh with the driving-gear 66, which is fast upon a stubshaft rotatably mounted in the tail-block or fixed part of the housing, and this driving-gear meshes with the central gears at the top and bottom and the two sides. This central or driving gear is somewhat wider than the other gears, as seen best in Fig. 22, so that it may be at all times in mesh with the other gears regardless of the adjustment of the cap to the boxing,

as will be readily understood. It will also be understood that the driving-gear 66 is revolubly mounted on its shaft and should be provided with some means whereby it can be turned to adjust the screws. I have shown it in this instance as provided with a knob or hand-wheel 67. The screws and gears for the vertical bearing or boxing, as above mentioned, are the same in construction and operation as those just described in connection with the horizontal bearing or boxing, and a further description thereof does not seem to be necessary. For convenience of operation, however, the shaft carrying the driving-gear is provided with a bevel-gear 68, which meshes with a bevel-gear 69 on a horizontal shaft 7 0, supported in suitable bearings and extended at one end, where it is provided with a suitable device, as a handwheel 71, by means of which the driving-gear and the screws may be operated. It is evident, however, that other means for this purpose may be employed, as may be found most convenient. The operation of this part of the invention will be apparent and its advantages will be readily appreciated. The weight of the main shaft and the various lateral strains upon it are transmitted entirely to the rollers, and consequently there is no rubbing of the shaft. When it becomes necessary to take up the lost motion or to compensate for wear, which, however, will be very seldom, all that is necessary to do is to turn the wheel 67 or the wheel 71, as the case may be, and as this is done motion is imparted to the driving-gear, which in turn imparts motion simultaneously to all of the screws, and as the latter are turned the one set of four will revolve in one direction to move the cap, while the other set will revolve in the opposite direction, thus permitting the movement of the cap, the latter set cooperating with the former set to hold the cap firmly in the newly -adjusted position. By this construction the caps may be readily adjusted'from time to time to keep the shafts in proper alinement, thus preventing wear of the piston parts or of the cylinder and abutment-chamber which would otherwise occur. Moreover, since the main shaft is carried on rollers and these again on other rollers the last roller-shafts, which are arranged to rotate on stationary adjustable bearings, revolve at a much lower speed than does the main shaft, whereby the usual dangers of overheating the bearings are avoided.

4. The adjustable smfiingb0m.This comprises a special device which I am enabled to use for preventing the escape of steam around the shaft solely because of the adjustable roller-bearings employed by me. In other words, while my new stufiing-box will be particularly useful and efficient in connection with the mechanism for keeping the shafts in true alinement it could not be used without such mechanism, since it would be practically destroyed if used upon a shaft not kept in perfect alinement. This stufling-box will now be described.

73 is the cylinder-head, which is provided with the annular flange 74., forming the inclosing portion of the stufiing-box. 

